Kalamazoo, MI Depot and House Fires, May 1909

Valuable records covering the company’s shipments extending over a period of many years, and other data important to the railroad officials were destroyed when fire broke out in a store room on the second floor of the G. R. & I. depot here yesterday afternoon. The blaze which did damage to the building amounting to less than $500, is said to have resulted from spontaneous combustion.

A few moments before the fire broke out at the depot the department from Central station had responded to an alarm sent in from the home of Thomas Fenker, 737 Elm place. At that place fire was communicated from an open grate to the walls of the sitting room. The damage was small.

A second alarm was sent in from the depot just as the fire at the Fenker home was extinguished and the department from Central station was sent from Elm place to the G. R. & I. where it joined forces with Nos. 2 and 3, and soon put out the blaze in the store room.